Instant Pot Chicken Biryani

This Instant Pot Chicken Biryani combines tender chicken thighs, fragrant basmati rice, fresh herbs, and warming spices in one pressure cooker. It delivers the flavor and aroma of chicken biryani without separately cooking and layering the chicken and rice, making it an approachable 45-minute dinner.

What Makes This Instant Pot Chicken Biryani Recipe So Great

• Simple. Biryani recipes take forever, they involve multiple steps with confusing instructions that ask you to cook the rice at 25%, 50%, and 75%. I'm a statistician and a cook, and I don't even know the difference between 50% and 75% cooked rice. No worries about that with this recipe. Make this Instant Pot chicken recipe without any complicated steps or instructions.
• One-Pot. Biryani recipes seem to dirty every dish in the house--and then they get eaten within minutes. I figured out how to make an authentic-tasting pressure cooker chicken biryani in the Instant Pot--without dirtying every dish in the house.
• Delicious. So just so you know, if I'm ever on death row I will ask for Instant Pot Biryani for my last meal. That's how much I love it. In fact, this recipe is so good that it has become a favorite of my readers.

What Is Chicken Biryani?

Biryani is a fragrant South Asian rice dish made with basmati rice, aromatics, spices, herbs, and frequently meat or vegetables. Many traditional versions cook the rice and main ingredients separately before layering and steaming them together, although ingredients and methods vary considerably by region.

It's usually filled with all kinds of wonderful spices like saffron and is flavorful and delicious. Sometimes it is spelled biryani (especially in Africa), but it's all the same delicious thing.

Traditionally, there's a lot of preparation and work that goes into the dish, and it's often reserved for special holidays and celebrations because of that.

Thankfully, my Instant Pot Biryani doesn't take much prep or work, so you can enjoy this delicious Indian dish on a far more regular basis.

What Does Chicken Biryani Taste Like?

Chicken Biryani is a heavily seasoned chicken and rice dish that is as fragrant as it is delicious. It is predominantly seasoned with essential Indian spices (think cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves). You will also enjoy the nutty flavors infused from the ghee.

Is This a Traditional Chicken Biryani?

This is a simplified, one-pot Instant Pot chicken biryani rather than a traditional layered dum biryani. Traditional methods may marinate the chicken, partially cook the rice, layer the components, and finish them over low heat.

This recipe uses similar aromatic ingredients but cooks the chicken and rice together to make biryani more practical for a weeknight meal.

Differences Between Biryani and Pilau

While there are many differences, there are a few things that stand out to me.

Biryani and pilau both combine rice with spices and other ingredients, but their preparation is usually different.

Biryani is typically more intensely seasoned and often involves cooking or arranging the rice and main ingredients in layers before steaming them together.

Pilau generally cooks the rice with the other ingredients in a seasoned broth, creating a more uniform flavor and appearance. Regional recipes vary, and both dishes can contain meat or vegetables.

Here's my Instant Pot Basmati Pilau, as well as Instant Pot Indian Pilau, if you'd like to check out some pilau recipes.

Ingredients You'll Need

Spices for tempering OR Use 2 Teaspoons of Garam Masala

• Ghee or butter- Ghee blooms the whole spices and adds richness. Butter may work, but it contains water and milk solids and will not produce exactly the same flavor.
• Cumin seeds
• Cinnamon
• Whole Cloves
• Whole Black Peppercorns
• Cardamom Pods

Veggies

• Onion- You will want to cook these just until golden, not crisp. Don't worry about them being super soft after sautéing. They will continue to change texture when cooked under pressure.
• Minced Ginger
• Garlic
• Jalapeño Peppers- If you are sensitive to heat, remove the seeds and use a knife to lightly scrape the inner membrane from the peppers.
• Cilantro
• Chopped Mint

Chicken and Rice

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs- Use boneless, skinless thighs cut into approximately 1-inch pieces. Thighs tolerate pressure cooking better than very lean chicken breast.
• Basmati Rice- Rice quality matters to biryani because longer, aromatic grains produce a lighter, more distinct texture. I prefer aged basmati. It should be rinsed well before cooking, but make sure you measure the rice before it is rinsed because it will expand slightly when rinsed.
• Kosher Salt

How To Make Chicken Biryani In The Instant Pot

• Heat. Warm the ghee in your Instant Pot, and when it's hot, put in all the tempering spices.
• Brown. Once they start to sizzle, put in the thinly sliced onion and cook until it's well-browned, but not burnt.

• Add. Add in the ginger, garlic, and jalapenos and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Chicken. Put in the bite-size chicken pieces and salt. If you're using ready-made garam masala instead of whole spices, add it now and mix well. This will yield a slightly smoother flavor, but will differ from whole, tempered spices.

• Spread and Sprinkle. Spread out the chicken and veggie mixture to cover the bottom of your Instant Pot. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro and mint on top of it.
• Rice. Spread the rinsed, drained rice across everything. Do not stir.

• Water. Pour in the water, and gently push the rice down so it is covered by the water.
• Cook. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally. for 10 minutes. Then, release all remaining pressure.
• Serve. Open and inhale deeply! Enjoy the true-to-tradition aroma of this dish and then either mix it gently from the bottom, or serve by scooping up a layer from top to bottom, so you've served chicken, herbs, and rice in every serving.

Tips And Tricks

• Assemble ingredients. The easiest way to do this is to get all your spices together and chop all your veggies at once, keeping the piles separate.
• Prepare Rice. Rinse and drain basmati rice before you start and chop the chicken as you're cooking the veggies.
• Garam Masala. If you do not want all the individual whole spices, you can use ready-made garam masala or make your own homemade garam masala. Just add 1-2 teaspoons of Garam masala after you put in the chicken.
• Ghee. Many of us will tell you, it's not a proper chicken biryani recipe if there's no ghee in it, so make your own homemade ghee, and taste the difference.
• Indian Cooking for Beginners. If you're feeling uncertain about cooking a new type of cuisine, check out this all-inclusive guide before you get started.

What To Serve With Biryani

Though this Instant Pot Chicken Biryani is a complete meal in itself, here are a few side options:

• Easy Indian Carrot Salad - A simple and light side dish.
• Instant Pot Coconut Chickpea Curry - An easy and delicious vegan recipe.
• Indian Cucumber Salad - A refreshing combination of cucumbers and peanuts.
• Indian Cabbage Slaw - Healthy, nutritious, fast, and vegan.

Is Chicken Biryani Healthy?

Chicken Biryani might not be what a foodie would typically define as "healthy", but there are many things about this dish that make it tip toward the healthy side of the food scale.

Each serving contains approximately 264 calories, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of protein, and 8 grams of fat. Nutrition values are estimates and will vary with the chicken, ghee, rice, and serving size used.

How Long Does Chicken Biryani Last?

Refrigerate leftover chicken biryani in shallow airtight containers and enjoy it within three to four days. Cool and refrigerate the rice promptly rather than leaving it at room temperature for an extended period to cool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need to Soak Basmati Rice?

No. Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly, drain it well, and use it as directed. Soaking may change the amount of liquid and cooking time required.

Can I Use Chicken Breast?

Chicken breast can work, but it is leaner and may become dry under pressure. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs produce the juiciest and most reliable results.

Is This Chicken Biryani Spicy?

This chicken biryani has moderate heat from the jalapeños. Use fewer jalapeños, remove their inner membranes, or omit them for a milder dish.

What Should I Serve With Chicken Biryani?

Serve chicken biryani with Tomato Raita, cucumber salad, pickled onions, chutney, or plain yogurt. For more ideas, explore this guide to what to serve with biryani.

How To Reheat It

Add a teaspoon or two of water to each portion, cover, and reheat until steaming hot throughout. A covered microwave-safe dish or a covered skillet over low heat will help prevent the rice from drying out.

Can It Be Frozen?

Freeze cooled biryani in individual airtight portions for up to two months for the best texture. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Instant Pot Recipes?

• Instant Pot Lamb Biryani - Tender morsels of lamb, marinated and cooked with rice.
• Instant Pot Vegetarian Paneer Biryani - Easy, authentic, kid-friendly, and vegetarian.
• Kheema Biryani - Simple, quick, and delicious.
• Low Carb Keto Chicken Biryani - A low carb version of Chicken Biryani.
• Easy Chicken Korma Recipe - Authentic Indian Chicken Korma at home.
• Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala - Make this authentic Indian dish with very little work.
• Chicken Vindaloo - Make vindaloo in minutes rather than hours!

And if you still want more easy meal ideas, check out this list of my best Instant Pot Chicken recipes!

Pin It!

This Instant Pot Chicken Biryani recipe may not look that impressive, but let me tell you, it is so tasty, with such complex flavors, I doubt I'll be going out for Chicken Biryani any time soon! Make sure to share this recipe with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can enjoy it as well!

Don't forget to check out my other Best-selling Instant Pot Cookbooks!

Indian Instant Pot, Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy, Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot.